It has more skill and a better netminder, according to one cocky prospect.

Swedish forward Andre Burakovsky, who plays alongside Canadians Connor McDavid and Adam Pelech with the Erie Otters of the OHL, provided Canada with plenty of ammunition this week with his comments ahead of the 2014 world junior tournament in Malmo, Sweden.

“I know what Canada brings and if I look at what they have and what we have … I think I can say that we have a better team on paper,” Burakovsky told Skanskan.se. “Then we'll see how they play and how it goes for us.”

Canada got off to a good start in pre-tournament play Friday, downing Finland 4-2 in Angelholm in a game delayed an hour due to ice issues. The Canadians fell behind 2-0 in the first period before scoring four unanswered goals to secure the win.

Bo Horvat, Matt Dumba, Aaron Ekblad and Anthony Mantha scored for Canada while McDavid, trying to make the team as a 16-year-old, had two assists. Zach Fucale faced just 13 shots in the Canadian net.

Juuso Ikonen and Esa Lindell scored for the Finns, who went 0-for-6 on the power play.

On a four-year gold medal drought, Canada lost to Sweden in a shootout the last time the two nations squared off at the event. From the sounds of it, Burakovsky is confident history will repeat itself if the two sides meet in the knockout phase.

Canada and Sweden will meet before the tournament officially gets under way, Sunday in Angelholm.

The Canadians open the tournament Boxing Day in Malmo against the Germans before rounding out group play against the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the U.S.

The Swedes are grouped with Russia, Switzerland, Finland and Norway.

“Canada has no 'skill player,'” Burakovsky said, going on to imply the Canadian team is simply physical. “We are more round, more skill mixed.

“At goalkeeper … we are much better.”

Burakovsky enters the 2014 world junior having registered 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) through 31 games with the Otters. He was drafted 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in this year’s NHL draft.